About me

Dad Joke

Why did the nearsighted man fall in the well?

He couldn’t see that well!

Introductions

• Name
• Year
• Major
• Closest connection to a famous person

What is Communication and Social Networks?

Social networks are much more interesting!

• How do groups make decisions?
• How do fads and fashions and misinformation and diseases spread?
• How do our connections influence our perceptions about and behavior in the world?

Who you are connected to can be more important than who you are

Who you are connected to can be more important than who you are

Who you are connected to can be more important than who you are

Goals

1. Understand the foundations of network theory and analysis
2. Critically read social network studies
3. Learn how social networks relate to your own interests
4. Gain a basic understanding of gathering and analyzing network data in R

About the class

• Building a learning community
• Discussions vs. lectures
• Resolving confusion
• Project-based

Grading

• Normal grading has some negative unintended consequences

  

• How can we build a learning community?

Grading

• I’m interested in teaching, not assessing
• Goal is to build structures that encourage learning and accountability
• Assignments will be turned in on Brightspace and/or discussed in class
• I will provide general feedback
• 3 times during the semester you will turn in reflection pieces
• If I disagree I will reach out

Dangers of this approach to grading

Class Meetings

• Most content is asynchronous
  • Readings
  • Video lectures
• Tuesdays
  • Discussion questions due on Mondays (Google Docs link)
  • Time discussing + reviewing homework
  • Random cold calling based on questions
  • I will track whether you are prepared
• Thursdays
  • Activities
  • R Labs
  • Co-working / Office Hours

Class meetings

• Masks will be required

Assignments

• Homework
  • Social network concepts
  • Programming practice
• Reading
  • Discussion Questions due Monday at noon
• Participation (in-class and online)

Readings

• Academic papers
  • Typically linked from wiki
  • A few on Brightspace (I will make this clear)
• Textbooks
  • Networks, Crowds and Markets
  • Introduction to social network methods

Programming

• You will understand what this means! :)

create_notable('zachary') %>%
  activate(nodes) %>%
  mutate(group = as.factor(group_infomap())) %>%
  ggraph(layout = 'kk') +
  geom_edge_fan(width=.2) + 
  geom_node_point(aes(color = group), size = 5)

Exam

• One exam
  • Goal is to encourage self-accountability

Final Project

• “Pitch” to an organization about how what you have learned could be used to help their organization

Discord

• Conversation and questions
• Help
  • In general, ask publicly so others can answer / see the answer

Wiki

• Schedule
• Links to readings

Brightspace

• Some readings
• Submit assignments

Office Hours

• Thursdays, 2-4
  • Sign up on the wiki (or just show up)
  • Also open to meeting virtually

Please be vocal

• I will solicit feedback as part of reflections
• Let me know what is and isn’t working

Assignments

• Read the syllabus
• This Thursday will be a (fun!) synchronous activity
• Sign up for Discord and bring a laptop

Questions?

Rules

• Only communicate through written messages, to neighbors
• Give resources with ‘$give jdfoote A’
• You can continue playing after you have all resources, if you want

How did it go?

• What worked well?
• What didn’t?
• Who was fastest? Why?
• What was the longest path a resource traveled?

Global network

Debrief topics to cover

• Degree centrality
• Reciprocity
• Social capital
• Structural holes
• Reputation and deceit
• Position and power
• Multiplexity
• Number vs. type of ties (centrality measures)
• Global/local networks
• Tie maintenance
• Sponsorship
• Norms and social conventions

Meta discussion

• How does this differ from real-world networks?

• What does this make you see differently?